ILOILO City – Western Visayas is not along the projected path of Typhoon “Kammuri” but the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is not leaving anything to chance. It urged 54 local government units with landslide- and flood-prone areas to prepare.
The typhoon, the country’s 20th this year, is forecast to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility this Saturday night or Sunday morning and would be called by its local name “Tisoy”.
“You are hereby directed to closely monitor your respective areas of responsibility, especially areas identified as very high/critical to flooding and landslides, and ensure your preparedness measures for effective response,” read part of the memorandum issued to provincial, city and municipal disaster risk reduction and management councils yesterday by OCD regional director Jose Roberto Nuñez.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said “Kammuri” has intensified into a typhoon as it slows down while moving toward the country. Its path includes Eastern Visayas, the Bicol Region, central and northern Luzon.
The typhoon’s outer rain bands, however, may bring scattered rains and thunderstorms in nearby regions.
“Kammuri” has maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has identified Region 6 areas “highly susceptible” to landslides and floods.”
The landslide-prone areas per province are the following:
* Aklan – Libacao, Madalag, Malinao, Ibajay, Tangalan, Nabas, Malay, Buruanga, Balete, Makato
* Antique – Valderrama, Laua-an, Barbaza, San Remigio, Patnongon, Bugasong, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan
* Capiz – Tapaz, Jamindan, Maayon, President Roxas, Pilar, Dumarao, Ivisan, Roxas City, Dumalag, Pontevedra
* Iloilo – Leon, Tubungan, Igbaras, Miag-ao, San Joaquin, Maasin, Janiuay, Calinog, Lambunao, Alimodian
* Guimaras – Jordan, San Lorenzo, Buenavista, Sibunag, Nueva Valencia
* Negros Occidental – Cadiz City, Talisay City, Silay City, Murcia, Escalante City, Don Salvador Benedicto, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, La Carlota City
“Kailangan mayroon na tayong paghahanda lalong-lalo na sa mga evacuation centers,” Nuñez told Panay News.
The most flood-prone areas per province are the following:
* Aklan – Kalibo, Numancia, New Washington, Malinao, Banga, Lezo, Madalag, Libacao, Altavas, Balete
* Antique – Barbaza, Sibalom, San Remigio, Valderrama, Patnongon, Laua-an, Bugasong, San Jose, Tibiao, Culasi
* Capiz – Dao, Mambusao, Sigma, Sapi-an, Panit-an, Cuartero, Dumalag, Pan-ay, Pontevedra, Roxas City
* Iloilo – Zarraga, Pavia, Dumangas, Leganes, Barotac Nuevo, Pototan, Dingle, San Enrique, Passi City, Calinog
* Guimaras – Sibunag, Nueva Valencia, Buenavista, San Lorenzon, Jordan
* Negros Occidental – Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, E.B. Magallona
Nuñez said a “close monitoring” of the water level of water bodies such as rivers and creeks is a must to quickly alert residents and order an evacuation in case of imminent flooding.
“Let us untiringly aim for zero casualty,” he stressed.
Pagasa clarified yesterday that “Kammuri”, at the moment, was less likely to become a super typhoon once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility. It was a response to some social media posts claiming that “Kammuri” would hit the country as a super typhoon.
Pagasa weather division chief Esperanza Cayanan said the United States’ Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) “uses one minute as wind averaging period for the estimation of maximum sustained winds near the center (MSW). Pagasa, on the other hand, uses a 10-minute averaging period.”
Shorter wind averaging periods yield higher wind estimates than longer averaging periods. Thus, JTWC’s MSW announcement was higher than the MSW provided by Pagasa.
Cayanan also clarified that meteorological centers use different thresholds in classifying tropical cyclones as a super typhoon.
Since 2015, Pagasa has been
classifying a tropical cyclone as a super typhoon if the 10-minute MSW exceeds
185 kph.
JTWC’s classification of a super typhoon, when converted from one- to 10-minute
averaging period, has MSW exceeding 185 kph.
“That means that on a 10-minute averaging, JTWC has a lower threshold for classifying super typhoon than PAGASA,” said Cayanan./PN
